Browns vs. Jaguars – Week 11
Now that they have weathered a rough four-game stretch, the Browns head for Jacksonville, where they have a three-game winning streak against the Jaguars.
The Opposition
Jacksonville: 5-4
Offensive rank: 20th overall/27th passing/6th rushing
Defensive rank: 28th overall/29th passing/20th rushing
All-time record: Jacksonville leads 8-4, with a 5-1 mark in Cleveland. The Browns won the at home last year, 23-17.
The line: Browns +2
What to Watch For
After more than holding their own the last four games against some of the league’s top teams, the Browns finally enter the “easy” part of the schedule.
The Jaguars may be only a game out of first place in the AFC South, but two of their wins were on improbable last-second plays: last week’s Hail Mary win vs. Houston and the Week 4 win vs. Indy when Josh Scobee hit a 59-yard field goal on the final play.
The Browns should be able to move the ball on offense, as Jacksonville’s defense is weak, especially against the run. Jacksonville is giving up 115 yards a game on the ground so Peyton Hillis should be able to have a big game today.
We’re concerned about the injuries that are starting to add up for the Browns. Josh Cribbs is out this week and he takes a nice part of the playbook with him. That also means the Jaguars don’t have to worry about anyone other than Hillis running the ball.
Also right tackle Floyd Womack was limited in practice this week; if he can’t go or is reinjured we will see the return of John St. Clair, which isn’t a good thing.
On defense, linebacker Scott Fujita and defensive back Mike Adams are out. Corner back Sheldon Brown should play but he was limited in practice as well this week so the secondary could be very thin. The Browns do catch a break with Jacksonville receiver Mike Sims-Walker (32 receptions, four TDs) is reportedly out for the game.
We’re definitely looking forward to seeing what Colt McCoy can do against the 29th ranked passing defense. Today will be a good test of how much he learned after facing the Steelers, Saints, Patriots and Jets.
Finally, let’s hope the bad David Garrard – the one who threw four interceptions against San Diego and took seven sacks against Philadelphia – shows up rather than the good Garrard – four touchdowns against Dallas, three touchdowns against Denver and three against Buffalo.
The Best Browns vs. Jaguars Game I’ve Ever Seen
Wow, there’s not a lot to pick from here, but we’ll go with the 2002 game the Browns won on a 50-yard Hail Mary from Tim Couch to Quincy Morgan, of all people, to win 21-20 on the final play of the game. The Plain Dealer‘s game story is available here.
And just for fun, and since it involved Jacksonville and Quincy Morgan, here’s video of the bottlegate game.
The Prediction
The Browns came out of their recent four-game stretch 2-2 and playing really solid football. They were a few plays away from going 3-1 against a quartet of teams that, in the preseason, many believed would steamroll the Browns.
There is certainly the potential for an emotional letdown today as they travel to Jacksonville, where they will play in front of a dull crowd (the game only sold out after the team got a 24-hour extension).
The Browns injuries are also a concern as they are hitting at areas where the team doesn’t have a lot of depth.
Having said that, the Browns have been playing well and there’s little reason to believe that trend will stop this week. McCoy has settled in at quarterback and gets more comfortable each week. He’s finding Ben Watson in the passing game and, with Cribbs out, we should see more of Evan Moore, giving McCoy another big target.
So we’re going with the Browns for the win this week on a late Phil Dawson field goal.
Record picking the Browns this year: 2-6-1
Red Right 88 